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Friday, March 5, 2010

Mother's and Father's Day is coming up, and there is no better time than now to celebrate those precious relationship. I was sent two wonderful books to review from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, which is a division of Random House. Here is a summary of each book, along with a bio of the authors.

Dancing With My Father : by Sally ClarksonLet Your Soul Dance with Delight in GodDo you sometimes feel victimized by circumstances? Are you overwhelmed by weariness, fear, or discouragement? Do you wonder, Where can I go to claim the promise of Jesus that my joy could be made full? When trusted author and mentor Sally Clarkson noticed a lack of joy in her own life, she realized how easy it can be, especially for women with overloaded to-do lists, to feel weighed down by drudgery and disappointment. But rather than slogging through her days, Sally wanted to know the delight of God's presence. She began prayerfully exploring how to cultivate deep-rooted joy even in the midst of difficult seasons.In this warm and wise book, she invites you to experience for yourself what happens when you trust God to lead you into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose.Weaving biblical insights with real-life stories that reflect every Christian woman's deepest longings, Dancing with My Father reveals how any woman, in any circumstance, can daily live in beauty and grace, joy and peace.

This book has great quotes and stories included, along with personal reflections and questions for you to learn and grow from. I love that there is so much scripture in this book that directs the reader where to find Joy, TRUE Joy: Finding your rhythm in God's Joy.

Author :Sally Clarkson is convinced that joy should be the rule of a woman’s life, rather than the exception. Drawing on the metaphor of dance, she inspires readers to nurture joy and to find delight in God’s presence, even in the challenging seasons of life. She is the author of several books, including The Mission of Motherhood, The Ministry of Motherhood, and Seasons of a Mother’s Heart. She has worked in various ministries, including Campus Crusade for Christ. She and her husband, Clay, are the cofounders of Whole Heart Ministries, which encourages and equips Christian parents. The Clarkson’s live with their four children just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

A harmonious relationship is possibleWhen your daughter was born, you had a thousand hopes and dreams for her. . .including that one day you'd be best friends. But as life unfolds, even the best intentions go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. Thankfully, a harmonious relationship with your daughter is possible. Written by a mother and daughter who have successfully navigated the minefield from distance and tension to acceptance and friendship, Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms open wide the door of communication so that daughters want to walk through it. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on proven principles, each chapter offers timeless wisdom as well as a daughter’s perspective. Often these principles apply to daughters-in-law as well. The relationship between mothers and daughters is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But you can have the loving, authentic bond you always dreamed of—when you learn the mother-daughter duet.

One quote I love from this book is this:"First Peter 5:7 is a great invitation for all our daughter concerns: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you"---and I would add, he cares for her even more than you and I do. Scriptures like Psalm 55:22 assure us that if we give him our burdens, he will sustain us. Believing these promises, we can live and respond with a healthy degree of peace instead of panic, which is a good role model for our grown daughters to see."

The relationship between mothers and adult daughters is intense, personal, and complex. But adults friendship is possible when mom applies some basic principles, including respect, forgiveness, listening, understanding, and letting go. In Mother-Daughter Duet, a mother and daughter share their own story so others can move from friction and frustration to acceptance and harmony.

Author Bio:Cheri Fuller is a best-selling, award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. She speaks to a wide range of women at women’s conferences and is a frequent guest on national radio and television programs. Ali Plum is Cheri’s daughter, a writer and songwriter, a wife, and a mother to Noah and Luke. She and her mom have weathered the ups and downs of their relationship to find one of the most treasured, honest relationships of their lives. Ali has recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and Mother-Daughter Duet marks her debut into book publishing.

You can purchase these books at Randomhouse.com.ENTER TO WIN!!Win : Mother-Daughter Duet or Dancing with my Father. (2 winners)This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers of the United States. Contest is open until March 15, 2010. To enter, leave a comment about how you like to celebrate your parents. Please leave a comment about which book you are wanting to win.**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment about another book you found on the Randomhouse website. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was provided from Waterbrook & Multnomah. They have provided me with a book to review and information to share with my readers. I am sponsored to offer a giveaway book (one for each reviewed book) to my readers through this review. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

I would like to read Dance with my Father. My Dad and I have not always been close until about a year and a half ago. We were both diagnosed with cancer with eight months of each other. My dad has helped me a great deal during my treatments. It has been really nice.

When The popular comment layout is common, so it is easily recognized scanning to post a comment. If the comment section is in a different format, then I am going to spend more time trying to decipher what everything means.

Christina - xristya@rock.com - I celebrate my parents by writing about them (they've passed away) and having their photos (of various times in their lives) up on my walls. I'd like to win Mother-Daughter Duet but in the end would like either.

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